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Vice president Mahmoud Mekky has invited opposition powers objecting to the draft of the new constitution to submit their proposals on controversial articles and to sign a national consensus initiative.

Mekky, in a press conference at the presidential office, suggested the formation of a panel of constitutional law professors to achieve consensus on controversial provisions, noting that the political disputes are mainly centered only on the wording of 15 articles.

His remarks come amid clashes outside the presidential palace in Heliopolis between Morsy’s backers and opponents who object to the president’s call for a referendum on the draft constitution, which was completed late last week despite disapproval by non-Islamist political forces.

A number of secular and liberal members withdrew from the Islamist-dominated Constituent Assembly over disagreements concerning a number of articles in the constitutional draft.

Tens of thousands of protesters marched to the presidential palace on Tuesday to demand the cancellation of the referendum and the draft.